As we well know, Ms. Taylor Swift’s merry band of followers go by the collective name ‘Swifties’.
And one staggering factoid is that the number of Swifties currently following the newly-engaged mega-star on Instagram totals a quite staggering 280 million.
For reference, the total population of Florida is around 24 million.
That’s a lot of Swifties out there.
While not quite in the same league, Subaru owners, who naturally go by the name ‘Subies’, are equally passionate, loyal and enthusiastic cheerleaders.
Seems they love the brand’s quirky design, those funky flat-four ‘boxer’ engines, standard all-wheel drive and Subaru’s reputation for reliability and dependability.
An interesting factoid; an impressive 96 per cent of Subarus sold in the last 10 years are still on the road today. Subies definitely look after their rides.
Currently top of the Subaru love chart is the beloved Forester crossover, which just got the addition of a fuel-sipping Hybrid model.
Announced in February, it’s already helped propel the box-on-wheels Forester to the top of Subaru’s U.S. sales chart, overtaking the entry-level Crosstrek in the first six months of 2025.
And what’s not to love? Its new hybrid powerplant adds more power, gives up to 40 per cent better fuel economy, and takes the range between fill-ups to over 580 miles. Yet Forester Hybrid models are priced from just $36,595. That’s only $1,400 more than the non-hybrid.
The source of all this Subie love is the newly-developed 2.5-liter four-cylinder under the hood. It’s mated to a new, so-called Lineartronic CVT transmission that incorporates a beefy electric motor, juiced by a lithium-ion battery pack under the trunk floor.
The combined output of gas and electric totals 194 horseys, which sounds a little disappointing considering the output of the regular 2.5-liter in the non-hybrid Forester is 180-hp. On the face of it, a 14-hp increase seems hardly worth the effort.
But the considerable appeal of this new hybridized, all-wheel drive Forester is in the way it drives. Which is a delight.
Away from a stop-light, it’s as if someone has dumped a can of Red Bull into the tank. It now scoots away like a bottle rocket on the Fourth of July. There’s a lot more oomph too when passing slower traffic, or zipping out of a tight curve.
And with this new Forester Hybrid, Subaru has seemingly packed every crevice with noise-absorbing sound-deadening material. The result? The kind of silent running you’d associate with Red October in stealth mode.
Add to all that, a worthwhile step-up in fuel economy. While a non-hybrid Forester averages a combined 29 mpg, this new Hybrid gets up to 35 mpg combined.
Subaru also gives the Forester a 16.6-gallon fuel tank, which means that this Hybrid will go for up to 580 miles between fill ups. That’s Tampa to Miami. And back.
After spending a week with this Daybreak Blue Pearl Forester Limited Hybrid tester – $41,010 or $42,825 out the door – I’d happily join the Subie cult.
Much of the appeal is just how easy this Forester Hybrid is to live with.
Take the body. OK, the styling looks a little on the dorky side, with that tall roof, jacked-up stance and fussy front end. But it’s a cinch to climb into, and once behind the wheel, those slim roof pillars make for terrific all-round visibility.
Inside it’s an absolute cavern, with more interior space than a Honda CR-V Hybrid, Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, or Ford Escape Hybrid.
Flip down that 60/40-split, flat-folding rear seat and you have more than 74 cubic feet or cargo space. That’s the size of most New York City apartments.
And the rear tailgate opening is extra wide and the cargo floor nice and low for easy loading. Being more of a wagon than a traditional SUV also means that loading kayaks or paddle boards on to the roof is a cinch.
It all adds up to a multi-functional, versatile, economical and yes, totally lovable sports wagon. Time to become a Subie?
